Flooring and Carpeting/I/O carpet over tile

AnswerForgive my being late with your answer Cal...computer is being a challenge sometimes and end of the year workload in swing..

The degree of involvement you may have when installing carpet over tile depends on how permanent you want the space to actually be. The problem with most indoor/outdoor carpet is the most obvious one...quality. They have a tendency to go slack or loosen in the space where they lay and soon there are rumple lines or creases that tell you so visually. The material can sometimes be glued in place using a carpet adhesive and then rolling it out and trimming to fit in place and your done. That is the most simplistic method. Also another thing to consider is the grout joints of the existing tile...over time the carpet can settle down and the grout joints will "photograph" through the carpet and you will be able to see the grid pattern no longer hidden. To alleviate this problem you need only to skim the grout joints flat with thinset or cement patch or any number of other options that can feather skim over the top of the joints to make them go away from future visual consideration, follow me? But when you do something like that it will certainly require you to "commit" to the carpet and not to the tile. Going back to a tile floor will not be an easy option if you decide you want to hide the grout joints. North Fla will always present it's own climate challenges with humidity and sometimes significant temperature changes if you live above Ocala. As long as you understand that any carpet (indoor/outdoor whatever) is not going to last very long when subjected to a changing weather environment even if it is screened and or covered by a roof. You may get 3 years out of it before it will need to be inspected and most likely replaced. I know that the salesman will tell you that it will last many years more but that's their job and perhaps you "could" keep it in place for a longer time if you are settled and comfy with it in place but eventually it will have to go. Ok Cal I hope this helps you with your project, feel free to return anytime...

Expertise

Ceramic Tile/Marble. I can answer questions about floor preparation, tile selection, layout questions, performance of products, expectations of finish, compatabilities, questions about grout and epoxies, evaluating an installer, asking the right questions to check competence...more? 33 years this August 2012/ many years in commercial application from exterior finishes to Mall store fronts/ interior finishes like floor packages in stores inside Malls examples: The Limited, Lerner/NY, Lane Bryants, Bombay Co., Now involved in Residential new construction covering all types of interior finishes and designs.

Experience

I worked in an exclusive field of floorcovering called "Tenant Development" which is by invitational bid only, by way of a National bid list. These are large floor packages usually over 3500 sq. ft. of 18" x 18" Marble and Granite and many other types of Marble and sizes. They are specialty stores where the floor package can cost upwards of $50,000 for one store. I have also done "Structure" stores and J. Riggins stores, Lane Bryant,Express and Body Shop stores where wood flooring is used. Presently work for a National Flooring Company in the Residential new construction arena that covers most interior design elements..Granite Slab tops/wood flooring both job finished and prefinished ect..

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